OPTIONAL TASK SIX: Design Yer Genes

Part 1 Problem How is a DNA molecule put together? What are genes? Materials

• Colored markers • Design Yer Genes ó Part 1 lab sheets • Envelopes or bags to hold cut pieces • Glue or tape • Phosphate, sugar and base pair cut-out sheets • Scissors •

Procedure

1. Color the sugar units, phosphate units and base units. All of the sugar units must be the same color, all of the phosphates must be the same color, and each of the four different base units must be their own color. You will use six different colors.

2. Cut out the pieces you have just colored. Be careful not to cut off the tabs; they will be needed to attach the model together.

3. Figure out how these pieces fit together. Hints: the tabs must match; the

phosphate molecules must attach to sugar molecules. 4. Using the Gene Key for Strawberries, choose which three traits you will put on

your model.

Gene Key for Strawberries

Gene Number

Base Pairs in

Gene

Trait Base Pairs in Gene

Trait

1 T – A A – T A – T A – T

Fruit has seeds in normal

pattern

C – G C – G G – C C – G

Fruit has no seeds

2 A – T C – G C – G A – T

Fruit is sweet, has high

sugar content

C – G A – T C – G A – T

Fruit is tart, has low

sugar content

3 A – T A – T C – G C – G

Fragile skin

A – T C – G G – C G – C

Tough skin

A – T = Adenosine & Thymine base pair C – G = Cytosine and Guanine base pair Write the following information on your own paper. My strawberry will have the following base pair sequences:

Gene 1 = _________________________

Gene 2 = _________________________

Gene 3 = _________________________

In one sentence, describe how your strawberry will appear (its phenotype): ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

5. Put together the four base pairs that match the traits you have chosen above. Each group of four bases represents one gene. 6. Dry fit your model. Make sure you have followed your teacher’s directions about

alternating sugars and phosphates and have matched base pairs correctly. Your model should look like a ladder and have three genes. Have your unglued model approved by your teacher. As soon as you are sure your model is correct, glue or tape it together at the tabs.

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Questions Answer the following questions on your own paper. Title your paper “Design Yer Genes - Part I Questions”.

1. The bases only fit together in certain pairings. What are these pairings? 2. The sides of the DNA ladder are made up of what two units? 3. Where is the only place for the base pairs to connect to the ladder? 4. If a “gene” were really a distinct segment of four base pairs along the DNA

molecule, how many “gene” have you created in your model? 5. Look back at the Gene Key for Strawberries. Explain why it might be beneficial to

have some strawberries with seeds and other strawberries without seeds. Why might it be beneficial to have some varieties of strawberries with fragile skins and other varieties with tougher skins?

6. Describe at least two things you have learned about DNA and genes that you did

not know before. Extension Extra! Extra! We know genes control our traits or phenotypes. How many genes are

on a typical human chromosome?

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Part 2 Problem How does a geneticist change a strawberry’s trait? Introduction You are about to alter your strawberry DNA model. You must remember that the science of genetics is very complex and that changes in DNA occur naturally in nature as well as artificially in a laboratory. You can pretend that the changes you make in your model are occurring naturally (called a mutation) or artificially (called genetic engineering or transgenics). Materials

• Colored markers or pencils • Design Yer Genes - Part 2 lab sheet • DNA models from Part 1 • Gene Key for Strawberries • Glue or tape • Phosphate, sugar, and base pair cut-out sheets • Scissors

Procedure

1. Refer to the Gene Key for Strawberries in Part 1 of this lab. You chose three traits from this list to put on your strawberry DNA molecule. Recall what three genes you chose. You will change one of these three traits. Pick the one you would like to alter and locate it on your DNA model.

2. Remove the trait you wish to change by cutting out the four base pairs (gene)

from the sugar units. In nature, genes are changed at random. In the laboratory, genetic engineers try to control which genes are altered.

3. Referring to the Gene Key for Strawberries in Part 1, make a new gene to

replace the one you just removed. Remember, this new gene must consist of four base pairs and must be different than the other two genes that are already on your DNA molecule.

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For example, you may not add a fragile skinned gene if there is a fragile skinned or tough skinned gene already on the chromosome. After you are certain that the change you are making is compatible with the rest of your DNA, color the base pairs, cut them out and insert this gene at the sugar units.

4. Tape or glue the new gene in place.

Questions Answer the following questions on your own paper. Label your answers “Design Yer Genes - Part 2 Questions”.

1. What trait (gene) did you remove from your model of strawberry DNA? 2. What trait (gene) did you insert into your model of strawberry DNA? 3. Compare the traits of your old strawberry plant to your new strawberry plant. 4. Explain why you chose to insert the new trait into your strawberry DNA. In your

answer, discuss how this new trait might benefit the strawberry, the environment and/or humans. Discuss any problems that may arise.

5. When a real section of DNA changes, it is called a mutation:

• How could a naturally occurring mutation help a species? List at least two examples.

• How could a natural mutation hurt a species? List at least two examples.

6. Some people are uncertain or even fearful of genetically altering an organism.

Write a short essay on:

• What you think people might be worried about.

• What you think the problems and/or benefits are in changing the genes in an organism.

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Part 3 Problem How do real geneticists change or “engineer” the DNA of a strawberry? Introduction In real recombinant genetics technology, the scientists cannot yet easily remove one unwanted gene and stick in another, as you did in your last activity. However, they are able to add genes to a DNA molecule. Your teacher will provide more information on this. Using the materials provided, find out what kind of strawberry you can produce. Materials

• Colored pencils or markers • DNA models (from Part 2) • Design Yer Genes - Part 3 lab sheets • Glue or tape • Part 3 Gene Cut-out sheets • Scissors

Procedure 1. Review the three genes (and the traits they control) on your strawberry DNA

model from Part 2. 2. Observe the four new gene cut-out sheets and choose one that you will attempt

to insert into your DNA model. 3. Color (using the same colors as in Parts 1 and 2) and cut out the chosen gene. 4. Tape or glue your new gene onto:

• Either end of your model, or

• Into the middle of your model without destroying one of the other genes.

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Remember: In real DNA, the genes ìfitî themselves onto the chromosome wherever they can. Scientists cannot control where they attach. 5. Find out what trait your new DNA model produces in your strawberry. Your

teacher will help you with this.

Questions Answer the questions on your own paper. Title your answers “Design Yer Genes - Part 3 Questions”.

1. What were the four base pairs in the gene you added to your model? 2. What trait does this new gene control? 3. Do you believe this new trait will help or hurt the strawberry species? Explain

your answer. 4. In one to three well written paragraphs, explain what you have learned about all

of the following:

• The DNA molecule

• Mutations

• Genetic engineering

• How agriculture and/or consumers are affected by genetic engineering

• Any other information you found interesting

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